Local advocacy groups organized a march Friday outside of Rep. Ro Khanna’s office in Santa Clara to protest Khanna’s alleged lack of support for the people of Palestine.
Khanna represents the 17th Congressional District of California, which includes some cities in Santa Clara and Alameda counties, according to his website.
About 10 people attended the march, which was organized by members of advocacy groups Human Empowerment and Radical Optimism (HERO Tent), Party For Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and United Against War and Militarism.
The goal of Friday’s event was to raise awareness and push people to be “more involved” in the protest against Khanna’s “contradictory actions” toward anti-war efforts in Palestine, according to the event flier posted on the HERO Tent Instagram account.
Dayton Andrews, United Against War and Militarism organizer, helped facilitate the protest in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
“We came out here today, brought some handouts, some signs, invited folks to come out and we gave speeches hoping to publicize and really encourage people to get involved,” Andrews said.
Participants protested against Khanna for allegedly claiming to be “anti-war progressive”, but simultaneously participating in endorsements against Palestinian people.
Nancy Robles, Party for Socialism and Liberation organizer, marched with protesters around Khanna’s office building, saying Khanna “maintains a progessive stance in American politics to support Palestine.”
After an attempt to open the locked front entrance of Khanna’s office building by tugging at the door handle, Robles and protesters continued to express their personal reasons for marching.
“I'm an immigrant and so I’m fully aware of the displacement and destabilization that the United States government does on other countries,” Robles said.
“In Palestine, I can feel for them, and I think we need to be in solidarity with all oppressed people in the world.”
Khanna has described himself as “progressive-capitalist” and has taken “progressive stances” on climate change and the economy, according to a May 16, 2019 Fox Business article.
Robles said she believes Khanna has appeared publicly to make himself appear progressive, but doesn’t actually do “anything substantial.”
“He did this pathetic little press release where he visited with two Palestinian girls, which is ridiculous because he supports the governement that has displaced these women,” Andrews said.
Khanna publicly announced in a Feb. 17 Twitter post that he traveled to Palestine and spoke with students about international growth and an increased investment in Palestinian education and jobs.
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement
Several protesters raised concerns about Khanna’s perceived lack of participation in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
“Anything else is like he can’t support the [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement], he can’t do that to Israel because Israel is a business partner,” Robles said.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions [BDS] movement promotes the boycotting of Israeli-produced goods, divestment from the Israeli economy, and government sanctions on Israel to force Israel to comply with international law and cease its oppression of Palestinians, according to the BDS website.
Khanna expressed his opposition towards the BDS movement in 2019 when he voted for House Resolution 246, which condemned the movement in a bipartisan majority according to congress voting records.
House of Representative Bill
The absence of Khanna’s signature on a House of Representatives Bill bill (H.R.2590) was another one of the protesters’ main grievances during their speeches.
The bill, named “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” was introduced on April 15, 2021.
The legislation would limit U.S. assistance to Israel, and prohibit the Israeli government from using U.S.-given funds in support of military detention or interrogation of children, according to the text of the bill.
The Bill has approximately 32 co-sponsors excluding Khanna, who signed the original child detention bill back in 2017, but has his name on the more recent and detailed version of the bill, according to a Feb. 11 Mondoweiss article.
Noor Lazkani, Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL) organizer, also said she wants Khanna to sign his name onto the H.R.2590 bill.
“We have a right to be here and make our demands, it puts more pressure, Khanna needs to listen to us,” Lazkani said.
Lazkani led a chant, which protesters loudly recited through Khanna’s office building parking lot.
“Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israeli crimes,” Lazkani said.
